This invention relates to the field of carts on wheels to make it easier to carry an item such as trolling motors.
Trolling motors and batteries to operate them are commonly available for rent at fishing establishments, marinas and the like. The attendants on duty had to physically carry the motors and batteries from the rental office to the customer""s boat at the dock. Both the trolling motor and battery are heavy and cumbersome to carry in accordance with the prior art practice. This made it impractical if not impossible to hire women and younger people as attendants at such rental places. The carrying cart in accordance with the present invention provides a specific place for carrying each component of the trolling motor as well as the battery, thereby making it possible for women and young people to serve as attendants at rental places for rental of trolling motors, batteries and other equipment. Prior art devices for carrying relatively heavy sports equipment of which the inventor is aware include those disclosed in the following United States patents, copies of which are readily available in libraries of a number of the major cities as well as in the United States Patent and Trademark Office itself for those having an interest in examining the state of the prior art prior to this invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,960;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,048;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,784;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,084;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,520;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,147;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,261;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,892,555;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,257;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,843,393;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,436;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,721,085;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,484;
U.S. Pat. No. 1,747,600.
The carrying cart in accordance with the present invention provides a separate compartment for the battery needed to power a trolling motor, located in the lower portion of the cart to avoid having to lift a heavy battery very high and in a place that most people are able to place the battery. It also provides a receiving recess for the cylindrical motor housing at the lower portion of the cart that has an arcuate configuration corresponding to that of the motor housing for easy placement of the lower part of the trolling motor in such receiving recess after which the upper motor control portion of the trolling motor as well as its transom mounting mechanism can be pivoted upwardly into registration with a corresponding mounting member of the carrying cart without having to lift the entire weight of the trolling motor to secure the transom mounting mechanism to the mounting member of the carrying cart, the upper motor control part of the trolling motor being then supported above the transom type mounting member of the carrying cart when the transom mounting mechanism has been secured thereto. The carrying cart in accordance with this invention is constructed to also be well balanced when the trolling motor has been received thereon, by placing the heavier portions of the trolling motor and battery near the bottom of the carrying cart and just slightly forward of the wheels. When the carrying cart is pivoted rearwardly, the weight of the battery and cylindrical motor housing is pivoted rearwardly a distance that places their combined weight over the axle between the wheels substantially in balance so there is a minimum tendency to tip forwardly or rearwardly when the cart with motor and battery thereon has been pivoted rearwardly for pushing forward to the designated location.